The Public Sector, 1990 March 5

THE
PUBLIC

Monday, March 5, 1990

Official Publication of The Civil Service Employees Association, Local 1000, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO

see pages 10-11

INSIDE NEWS YOU CAN USE

PAGE 3

CSEA wins nearly $79,000 and
upgrades for almost 50 members at
0.D. Heck Developmental Center.

PAGE 8

Driving to work was taking a toll on
Manhattan Psychiatric Center workers
until CSEA worked out a solution with

management.
CSEA won a battle that forces

PAGE 4

Upset with frustrating contract

management to follow the rules in
transferring mental hygiene therapy

negotiations with ORDA, CSEA aides.

members took their case to the

public. P. AGE 9
CSEA at Black and Puerto Rican
caucus.

PAGE 5

CSEA is working to let air flow more PAGES 10-11

freely in your workplace.

The state has made a mess of

secretarial upgradings.

PAGE 6

CSEA’s position on tax fairness in
the The New York Times.

PAGES 12-13

Make the most of your career as a
state employee through the Joint

Labor/Management Committees.

PAGE 7

You can help win the battle for tax
fairness.

Retiree Chair Don Webster dies

MT. VERNON — Don Webster, chair
of the CSEA Retiree Executive
Committee and president of Westchester
County CSEA Retiree Local 921 ,died
recently. He was 57 years old.

Webster, in his second term as
executive committee chair, will be
missed, said CSEA Director of Retiree
Programs Kathleen Cahalan. He was
well known for his activism on behalf of
CSEA retirees.

“Don Webster was a dynamic leader,"
Cahalan said. ‘'He always had the
interests of the retirees at heart.’

During his two terms as chair of the
CSEA Retiree Executive Committee,
CSEA retirees affiliated with AFSCME
and CSEA retiree membership increased
by 7,000.

Webster was also instrumental in
establishing the retiree political action
network, expanding coalition activities
with the state Council on Senior
Citizens and encouraging the
organization to integrate retirees with

PAGE 14

CSEA member Peggy Bartoszek works
hard to help children in foster care.

working CSEA members.

“Don Webster was a dedicated
activist,'’ said CSEA President Joe
McDermott. “His commitment and
energy will be missed,"

Retired on disability after 28 years
with the City of Mt. Vernon, Webster
was president of that CSEA unit for
many years. A politically astute activist,
Webster was known for his knowledge
of legislation that affected public
employees and retirees.

At the time of his death, Webster was
deeply involved in fighting for a
permanent cost-of-living adjustment
(COLA) for public employee retirees. He
was also working for the right of
surviving spouses to purchase a
deceased retiree's medical insurance at
25 percent of the cost.

He was instrumental in the formation
of the Westchester Retirees Local,
whose members previously belonged to
the Rockland County Retiree Local.

“CSEA has lost a knowledgeable

PAGE 15

CSEA member commended for work
when tornado hit Coldenham
elementary school.

PAGE 16

Gambling isn’t just a habit — it can
be a crippling addiction.

PAGE 17

A pageful of important information!

PAGE 18

Check the ‘‘Smart Shopping Tips’’
from the United Buying Service (UBS).

PAGE 19

Your handy reference guide to many
CSEA benefits!

PAGE 20

Thanks to CSEA efforts, children in
Westchester County will still get
valuable dental care. And many
county employees kept their jobs.

person who fought tirelessly for
retirees,"’ said Mike Morella, who was
treasurer of the yas
retiree local and ‘
a past president
of the
Westchester
County Unit. He
was a leader that
the retirees.
looked to for
leadership and
advice."

Webster is
survived by his
wife, Lorraine;
five children; his
mother; one
sister; three
brothers; two
grandchildren
and nieces and
nephews, His
wife resides at 219 Lorraine Avenue,
Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10552.

f- ™~
The Public Sector (445010) is published every other Monday. Publication Office: 143
THE Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210. Second Class Postage paid at Post
PUBLIC Office, Albany, New York. Address changes should be sent to Civil Service
Employees Association, Attn: Membership Department, 143 Washington Avenue,
Albany, New York 12210.
Official publication of The Civil Service COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATES
Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000, SHERYL C. JENKS . Region | RON WOFFORD Region VI
AFSCME, AFL-CIO, 143 Washington Avenue, (516) 273-2280 (716) 886-0391
Albany, New York, 12210 LILLY GIOIA . . Region Il STEPHEN MADARASZ Headquarters
(212) 514-9200 (518) 434-0191
ANITA MANLEY Region Ill
MICHAEL P. MORAN Publisher (974) 896-8180
ROGER A. COLE Editor DAN CAMPBELL Region IV 4
KATHLEEN DALY Associate Editor (518) 489-5424 {
MARK M. KOTZIN . . Region V
\__ STANLEY HORNAK Asst. Dir. of Communications (315) 451-6330 yy |

' $79,000 in back pay

CSEA wins

1 money, upgrades

By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

SCHENECTADY — CSEA action won
nearly $79,000 and overdue promotions
for 48 members at O.D. Heck
Developmental Center.

According to civil service rules, the
members, all mental hygiene therapy
aide 1s (MHTA 1s), should have been
promoted to MHTA 2s after successfully
completing the required two-year
training period.

But officials at the facility chose to
interpret those rules differently, said
CSEA Assistant Contract Administrator
Jim Martin.

“When a director like Fred Finn (of
O.D. Heck) creates his own
interpretation of civil service rules and
regulations and basically sets up his own
fiefdom, things like this are bound to
happen,” said CSEA Assistant Contract
Administrator Jim Martin. ‘‘Now state
management has the responsibility of
correcting the situation for our members
and of dealing with Finn's improper
actions."

Martin learned that the members
hadn't received their promotions in a
casual conversation with a member who
mentioned being a MHTA 1 for three
years,

“I thought something was wrong, and I
was right,’ Martin said. ‘There was a
possibility that an individual had fallen
through the net through missed training,
et cetera, and didn't move through the
automatic upgrading. But when we

found 48 CSEA members having the
same problem, it was clear something
was rotten at O.D. Heck.”

O.D. Heck CSEA Local 445 President
Fran Kennedy had been trying to work
with management at the facility but was
frustrated by Finn's interpretation of
civil service rules.

“Apparently state management wasn't
doing its job of monitoring O.D. Heck
terms of administering the rules on
advancement of MHTA 1s,'’ said CSEA
Research Assistant Ed Molitor.

After nearly two years, the members
received their upgrades recently, along
with $78,866 to cover the time they
were kept in the lower grade
improperly.

“It's been a long time coming,"' said
Cliff Matezach, a Local 445 member.

Matezach spent six years fighting the

t

SOLVING THE PROBLEM of overdue upgrades at O.D. Heck Developmental Center
took time and teamwork. CSEA Research Assistant Ed Molitor, left, and CSEA
Assistant Contract Administrator Jim Martin work on the case,

cis i iii se nai i 5 March 5, 1990 3

O.D. Heck policy that conflicted with
statewide policy. He received a check
for more than $8,000 in retroactive pay
covering the nearly six years he spent
in the wrong job title.

“I feel vindicated," he said. ‘‘CSEA
came through for me and for the other
members."’

Finn's actions illustrate a serious
problem, Martin said.

“When a facility director can rewrite
statewide contracts, civil service rules
and managerial policies to suit his own
needs, it shows a large deficiency in
managerial overview,” he said. ‘Finn
had almost everyone believing that his
actions were right and proper because
no one questions Fred Finn. From now
on, CSEA plans to question Finn any
time he deviates from the state
contracts or civil service rules and
regulations.”

Workers face
Olympic
obstacle

By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

LAKE PLACID — Trouble is brewing in the
Adirondack Mountains.

Angry members of Olympic Regional Development
Authority (ORDA) CSEA Local 059 and Gore Mountain
CSEA Local 060 walked informational picket lines during
the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the U.S.
Olympic hockey team victory.

CSEA members have picketed Olympic [=
sites at Whiteface Mountain, the Mount
Van Hoevenberg bobsled run, the
Olympic Hockey Rink in Lake Placid
and Gore Mountain in North Creek.

“ORDA knows that 51 percent of its Aol Eeoiier Merone ad
workforce earns less than $4 to $5 an : \ MOUNTAIN : maintains heavy employee costs
hour. They know these low-paid, os ae 3Ki for health insurance. Since many

seasonal workers are paying up to 56 make $5 or less an hour, they
percent of their health insurance can't afford their health

premium,” said CSEA Collective insurance premiums and go
Bargaining Specialist Charlie Scott. without coverage. The two sides
“These workers can't afford health have gone into mediation to
insurance at poverty level wages, so come up with a fair contract.
they go without.

“But ORDA's high-priced negotiator
can't understand why the workers are
upset with ORDA's offer of only 10 cents per hour
increase with no change in health care costs."

“Our members have had it with the high-handed,
arrogant attitude of ORDA management," Local 059
President Bruce Hare said.

“You can't make it on $3.55 an hour in the North
Country,"’ Local 060 President Rusty Leigh said.

The Public Employment Relations Board has
appointed a mediator to aid negotiations.

88.

ON THE LINE — CSEA members
who work for the Olympic
Regional Development
Authority (ORDA) walk
informational picket lines to let
people know about the paltry
,contract offer ORDA has made.

MOUNTAIN
SKI. AREA

Community supports CSEA @

LAKE PLACID — The Olympic Regional Development
Authority (ORDA) was supposed to be a godsend to the
Lake Placid area.

Now, after nearly a decade of mismanagement and
arrogance, business and community leaders wish
someone would send ORDA back to Albany.

“I'm usually anti-union,"’ said one person at the CSEA
Local 059 informational picket at the Olympic Arena
recently. ‘‘But you have got to do something to fight

back against an organization as power ¢ is . =
crazy as ORDA. So what can I do to # —_ 2 cs —— - —
help?” A Lake Placid business owner offered “Millions of dollars for facilities, and |
That response has been common as support to CSEA. millions more for equipment. You'd |
CSEA members who staff the Olympic “Leave some of those (CSEA) fliers think they'd want to keep the a
facilities and the Gore Mountain ski here. They might help open some eyes to investment in tip-top shape by having
area protest ORDA's paltry contract what's really going on,"’ the owner said. enough workers and paying enough to
offer. The offer continues high health “I know ORDA is anti-community, anti- | keep them and their skills on the
care costs for employees and offers only worker and anti-union, I guess it's mountains, taking care of the needs of
a 10-cent-per-hour wage increase. totally anti-people. That's it's biggest the customers, the tourists, the ee
More than 50 percent of the problem, ORDA thinks it's God community leader said. ‘They run it like |
employees make $5 or less an hour; Almighty." a rich man's club and they forget what |
many cannot afford their health care A community leader gave his opinion, happened to the last rich man's club in |
contribution and so have no insurance. too. Lake Placid. It's closed. |

4 March 5, OE cls oe keene ee

CSEA seeks building air improvements but
management hides behind energy code

CSEA members in public buildings
across New York need a breath of fresh
air.

But a quirk in the state Energy
Conservation code may be limiting
office workers’ ability to breathe easier
and CSEA wants that changed.

The union recently made the point at
a state Energy Office hearing on a
proposal to revise the code. The code
does not address the air quality issue, but
CSEA believes it should.

“It's clear that bringing more fresh air
into buildings could improve air
quality,’ said CSEA Director of
Occupational Safety and Health James
Corcoran. ‘But invariably management
contends that portions of the state
Energy Code prevent them from doing
that.

“The energy code was not intended to
save energy at the expense of people's
well-being and changes should be made
so that it can't be used as an impediment
to safety and health," he said.

The state established the Energy
Conservation Construction Code in
response to the energy crisis of the
1970s. It requires energy efficiency for
buildings built since 1979 through
various means, which may include

sealed windows, insulation and
operating limits on heating, ventilation
and air conditioning systems. Many
older buildings have also included such
energy saving measures as part of
renovation projects,

But in recent years, studies have
identified problems with ‘‘sick” or
“tight"’ building syndrome, which results

“The energy code
was not intended
to save energy

at the expense

of people's
well-being"

—CSEA Director of

Occupational Safety & Health
James Corcoran

from closed working conditions and
inadequate ventilation.

The “‘bad"’ air that results poses a real
health risk to workers and hurts
productivity.

CSEA receives more complaints about
building air quality than any other
health and safety concern.

The problems include breathing
difficulty, burning eyes, skin irritation
and nausea. The National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health has
linked respiratory disease outbreaks in
office buildings to poorly maintained
ventilation systems, high humidity and
not enough fresh air being admitted to
building ventilation systems.

The energy code sets limits on the
operation of the ventilation systems to
promote energy efficiency, For example
the code limits the amount of air intake
when it's too cold or too hot outside.
The reason is to conserve the energy
that would be needed to heat or cool the
air to a comfortable level.

“Fresh air in office buildings should
not be limited in the name of energy
conservation,'’ Corcoran said. ‘‘The lack
of fresh air creates higher health costs
and lower productivity that far outweigh
any energy savings.”

a ec to Moca emer rans ne casera ermarTomisinaniis neccumceiucameneamemnmncia March 5, 1000

CSEA President Joe McDermott has
taken our message on the state budget
crisis to the editorial pages of The New
York Times. The Times published
McDermott’s letter to the editor,
headlined ‘‘A Gift to the Rich,” in its
Feb. 20 issue.

“I strongly believe the state must
maintain its current personal income tax
rates in order to stop the tax shift to
local governments and to rebuild the
state's fiscal stability,’ McDermott said.

“We need t
revenue from
personalincome —
taxes to balance our
resources with our

needs.” —
Joe McDermott,
CSEA president

“We're committed to convincing state
leaders and opinion makers that CSEA is
right on this issue. The Times is a good
place to make our point."

Since McDermott wrote the letter,
Goy. Cuomo announced that the current
budget deficit has grown to more than
$1 billion. Projections for the next three
fiscal years are equally dismal.

“We have to convince the state
Senate that we need the revenue from
personal income taxes to balance our
roeour cee with our needs,'’ McDermott
said.

McDermott has repeatedly pointed out
that the “tax cut’ will actually increase
taxes for most low-income waqe earners,
while primarily benefiting the wealthy.

If more costs are shifted to local
governments, the ‘‘tax cut’’ will increase
the overall tax burden for almost
everyone — except the wealthy — as
local property taxes increase.

“We can't fool ourselves any longer,"
McDermott said. ‘New York needs
revenue to maintain the quality of
public services."

6 March 5, Oh rs RUT SO ae OT RCA a aman aN

the word

A Gift to the Rich

To the Editor:

raise the ro

ressiv
maintain sees Ye Propert
rvic ty tax
Teas in taxes her'g¥¢ 8 nol paying

ew Yor!
88 its leader,
eH, bu
ferent taxes. and PY pay
18X28. And the ying dit.

on

e
tax shi t In a
creased st Fi come taxes,
Bh conn eal ere ina mene $18,000 Rep bik comes be.
Rovernments have! posits Toca epertonaincome tay PAY
to
125,

i
Added, those Property or me
wou 2 with Incore es |
We nen #8770 ax savings, #290000

2
=]

year,

sper ad Oe ralon
State's pe

{AX may be higher qeertenal Income

To the Editor:
New York state faces

new realities as its but then

New Y; other state
leaders construct ne fates hiatory or pot other states,
a new budget. The economy is softening all over gues

the Northeast. Revenues fall short of all
reasonable expectations. Demands for aid and
services multiply.

We need a new vision to face such realities.
The myth of the personal income tax cut
contains no such vision. Indeed, the so-called tax cut has become a tax shift. Faced
with decreased state aid, increased demands and continuing state mandates, local
governments have been forced to raise the regressive property tax to maintain
services. We are not paying less in taxes, but simply paying different taxes. And
the burden is falling on those who can least afford it.

State Senator Roy M. Goodman writes (Op-Ed, Jan. 13) that the so-called tax cut
would benefit middle income wage earners. But a family with an annual income of
$36,000 to $72,000 would save only $62 to $117 in personal income taxes; those
with incomes between $18,000 and $24,000 would pay more in personal income
tax.

However, those who make $125,000 to $260,000 will see substantial savings from
the personal income tax cut. They will save $466 to $1,499.

Add the cost of the property tax shift, and most low- and middle-income wage
earners face an increased tax burden. A family of four with a $24,000 income
would pay $130 more in taxes. But, even with property taxes added, thiose will
income taxes of $260,000 would reap a $770 tax savings.

We have seen this year that the tax cut program has gone too far. The state must
fill a $700 million budget gap just to finish the fiscal year. That's before we grasp
the problems for fiscal year 1990-91,

New York State's personal income tax may be higher than many other states, but
then New York is not other states. We have a history of providing quality, broad-
based services that make New York an enviable place to live.

JOSEPH E, McDERMOTT
President, Civil Service
Employees Association

Albany, Feb. 1, 1990

ie J

Sign up for
' tax fairness

The state Coalition on Economic Priorities needs
your help to stop the tax shift.

CSEA is a member of the coalition, along with
other labor unions, religious groups, human service
and government organizations.

he coalition is building a grassroots campaign to
convince state legislators and leaders that the so-
called tax cut is really a tax shift that will hit lower- and
middle-income wage earners the hardest. Meanwhile,
it provides a huge tax break for the wealthy (see
graph below).

You can help by joining the effort. It's simple.
Contact your local president and ask for the tax shift
brochure. CSEA is distributing 20,000 to its local
presidents for distribution to interested members.

The brochure explains the tax shift, It also
contains four postcards, one each to send to your
state Senator, Assembly representative and the
Governor and a fourth to send to the coalition.

All you have to do is sign the cards, fill in the
correct legislators’ names, stamp them and drop them
in the mail.

It's a simple way to get your message across to
your legislators.

If you want more information on the tax shift or
you need more copies of the brochure so your
friends and family can mail cards, too, you can get
them easily.

Simply call the coalition’s 800 number. It will be
answered by someone who can give you any
information you need and be able to send you more
brochures.

The coalition's Fair Tax hotline number is: 1 (800)
836-0398.

If you need to know who your legislators are, call
the CSEA Legislative and Political Action
Department.

7 | WHAT'S A TAX SHIFT?
ax 1 5 The graph at left
illustrates it. As state

income taxes go down,
property taxes are forced
to go up. That means your
total tax burden will go up
— unless you make
$125,000 to $260,000 a
year. Only the wealthy
will benefit from the tax
shift. Join the campaign
for tax fairness and stop
the tax shift. You can help.
Read the article above for
more information.

don’t have to do battle with a toll

machine every day and fork over
$2.50 to get in the front door of their
worksite.

But Manhattan Psychiatric Center
CSEA Local 413 members must cope
with the obstacle course of Triborough
Bridge toll booths and obtain an all-
important receipt for reimbursement

before reaching their Ward's Island
worksite.

It sounds simple enough to get one
little receipt every day, but anyone who
crosses the bridge regularly knows how
often the toll machines are out of paper
or print the wrong day or time on the
receipt.

Ni: YORK — Most CSEA members

CSEA OMH
win means

good news
for MHTAs

“It's infuriating when you lose your
reimbursement because the receipt is
wrong or you get no receipt at all,” said
Local President Mohammed Hussain.

The problem plagued MPC CSEA
members even though CSEA won them
the contractual right to reimbursement
years ago.

Now, thanks to a new toll agreement
worked out by CSEA with the facility
management the toll booth receipt
problem may be a thing of the past.

“Some of the employees were losing
big bucks because of this problem," said
CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Bart
Brier. ‘It was unfair and frustrating for
them,”

When is a transfer not a transfer?

When the state Office of Mental
Health (OMH) tries to pick and choose
who they want for positions instead of
following the established rules.

But CSEA's persistence and an
arbitrator's decision are good news for
CSEA members who may choose to
transfer from MHTA positions in state
psychiatric centers to residential
program aide and assistant positions in
state-operated community residences
(SOCRs).

The decision should help hundreds of
CSEA members.

“OMH was blatantly violating the
seniority provisions of our contract,"
said CSEA Deputy Director for Contract
Administration Mark Lawrence, ‘'This is
an important ruling for CSEA. It upholds
our contract and assures that our
members have transfer options."

Ironically, OMH established MHTAs’
right to transfer into the residential
program positions and then began

MPC commute takes toll
but CSEA ends

Applauding the agreement, Hussain
said, ‘This is a ae example of how

persistence pays off — it took a long

time but CSEA got results.”

Under the new system set up to
deal with missing or incorrect
receipts, employees can now have
their supervisors verify that they
were at work.

There is a review procedure in
place to handle any missing receipts
above 10 percent of a month's
workdays,

Employees will also now be
permitted to cross out incorrect
dates on receipts and print in the
correct date and the receipt will be
accepted.

violating its own procedure,

CSEA's grievance arose because OMH
instructed management at various
psychiatric centers, including St.
Lawrence and Gowanda Psychiatric
Centers, that they did not have to
follow the seniority provisions outlined
in the CSEA Institutional Service
Contract in filling the community
residence positions.

The arbitrator ruled that the OMH
argument "‘flies in the face of the
realities of the collective negotiations
which have occurred between the state
and the union since the inception of the
Taylor Law."

“OMH set up the transfer provision to
improve their ability to staff residential
programs efficiently,’ said Lawrence.
“Then they turned around and
undermined the process.

“Having experienced staffers in the
residential programs is in the state's
interest, too, which is why it made no
sense that we had to go all the way to
arbitration to settle this issue."’

8 March 5, je as eae ea ea ee Ma

“Doing the right thing”
at Black and Puerto Rican
Legislative Caucus

CSEA staff and activists pose at
the union's booth during the state
Legislature's Black and Puerto
Rican Caucus's annual program.
The event is an opportunity for
union and community activists to
discuss issues directly with
lawmakers,

The CSEA booth featured a
photo exhibit about the critical
work that Black and Hispanic
CSEA staffers perform every day.

gL a a enna vee SORT RINT een re ee March 5, Pm )

CSEA targets Civil Service, Division of Budget
over secretary upgrade delay

Unfair and
inefficient

With the state's process bogging
down, CSEA is demanding immediate
action on upgradings for senior and
principal stenographers and typists and
keyboard specialists.

“The stenographers, typists and
keyboard specialists in line for the
upgrading have been waiting long
enough,” said CSEA President Joe
McDermott. ‘‘It's time for the state to
stop playing ‘carrot and stick’ and honor
its commitment to these people.”

From the start CSEA favored an
across-the-board upgrading for filling the
newly created Secretary 1 and 2 titles.

But the state opted for a confusing and
complicated approach that deals with
each upgrading on a case-by-case basis.

The result is a bureaucratic mess
that’s unfair and inefficient.

Under the state procedure, individual
agencies must recommend employees in
the stenographer and keyboard
specialist titles for upgrading to the new
secretarial titles if they are performing
the duties described in the new job
specifications.

Those recommendations must be
approved by the Civil Service
Department and then by the Division of
the Budget, which will okay them only if

Exams causing confusion, concern

The state's scheduling of civil service
exams as part of secretarial upgrading is
rubbing salt in the wounds of CSEA
members who already qualify without
having to take the test.

Many members waiting for state
action are concerned the tests may be
used to pass them over.

With more than 5,000 upgrade
applications pending, there are enough
CSEA members to fill positions without
testing.

CSEA has blasted the Civil Service
Department's plan for open-competitive
exams for Secretary I, which could give
non-state employees an advantage over
qualified CSEA members.

Equally offensive to CSEA is the
timing of the promotional exams.

Although the promotional exams are a
required part of the process for senior
stenographers and typists moving into
Secretary 2 positions and keyboard

4 0 March 5, 19990,

re = a ae

the agency can afford the upgrading
within its current operating budget.

What makes the process especially
unfair is that some workers might get
upgraded while others doing the same
job won't, for reasons that have nothing
to do with their work.

“Tt gets ridiculous,"’ said McDermott of
the state process. ‘When you figure in
all of the time and people involved in
the process it would probably have
saved money to upgrade across the
board. It certainly would have saved
employee morale,

“Tf the employees are doing the work
of Secretary 1 or 2, they should get the
title and the appropriate pay,’ he said.

specialists moving into either of the
secretarial positions, they are
unnecessary while a backlog exists on
upgradings.

The upgrading process could be
completed for qualified CSEA members
and tests could be scheduled afterward.

Thousands of CSEA members in
stenographer and typist jobs (senior
stenographers/typists to Secretary 1 and
Principal stenographer/typist to
Secretary 2) qualify for the
reclassification without having to take
the test. But if they don’t take the test
and Civil Service or Division of Budget
rejects their upgrade application, their
chance of getting a secretarial title later
is at risk.

Under civil service law, their agency
would have the right to transfer them to
the open position or choose a candidate
off the Civil Service list instead.

What's more, there's no way of

§it would
probably have
saved money to
upgrade across
the board. 3

—CSEA President
Joe McDermott

knowing when the promotional exams
will be given again, So CSEA members
who don't take the test now may limit
their opportunities,

The promotional exams for
Secretary 1 and 2 will be held on
April 21. The exams for senior and
principal stenographers will be held
May 5.

Applications for all of these tests
must be postmarked no later than
March 19, ta ee

Civil Service is creating more
confusion by scheduling stenographer
exams,

Although the stenographer titles are
phasing out, the delay in creating the
new secretarial positions has caused a
shortage of stenographers, particularly
downstate.

So Civil Service is testing.

It's just one more way the state's
procedure is inefficient.

Steno rap ’
c Sean hers

Priority

ALBANY — p

and a questions te

nl nr at
[Showing is efforts topes SEQ

Plight gets

0 Get acton of

ge from

CSEA knows the score

Total secretarial upgrading,

| Applications received by Civil Service ...
| Applications pending at Civil Service ....
| Applications rejected by Civil Service............. 492
Applications approved by Civil Service

and sent to Division of the Budget ........... «. 1,657
| Applications approved by Division of the Budget... 286

l Service
irtment
target

CSEA ACTION LEADS TO
RECLASSIFICATIONS

A step
“orward

te Grade

Union prods State to unfreeze
reclassifications, reallocations

Stenogrgpboas. other:

lo penefit from upgra 9 plan

Open exam Yor Secretary lis
Outrageous

Js blasting a state Civil

ee amin
oper the general pu

‘SEA Conners the lan bata
unnecessary because Rundredia

‘Theres 80 need for an o
eapely extant wa
Qusy for lateral transfers wt

er
re that @Ppeals
reques in making p91 ¥8 due co; to the ;
Tea ty we offer theepour initiay ns ideration tg CiviT
y ved Ol low in, eterminat j "format io
etuests, please terminat 9 WWideTines; 197 On a i
otf

inati
&S poss jh 7p CaS notify ceo", (approy,
seen rth atte Parra ang

qyees and mals)

T the orig; ve inf,
determinat renee Sub ISS ion cp available
enc, qd cou),
Ons iderat ign Submit the nee'e,3 bearing ‘on ADC luded as
ig erial t
leves th, ° this Division

whic
a ich mas not in

If th
affect cmP lovee be

recons;
the opr veratio

ee ¢
4 of th ‘or lerat io, Y have
an Cons id, n,
enc erat j, ver,
rn aael cerrectes M/E disaree wig vee” Mt teialee fm
ea nfo x

letter on gi/pre made direc io”, tha cance determinat
Employee may appaaAlM 740, 1¢ £0 the Civi] seQUght to bean gid there 4
5 Y appeal direct) a rpagency GL,Service Come fi! On the case ®

© Comm:
of

$ for Secr,
Ce Commission

March 5, 1990 1 1

Important career and skills enhancement opportunities
that will help participants reach and perform at higher skill
levels are being offered to CSEA-represented state
employees through a series of seminars and workshops
across the state.

The career and skills enhancement seminars are being
offered under the sponsorship of the joint New York
State/CSEA Labor/Management Committees and are made
possible through funding negotiated by CSEA in the current
CSEA/State contracts. Many of the programs are being
administered by the Continuing Education and Public
Service Department of the State University of New York
Empire State College.

Deadlines are fast approaching for applying for most of
the programs. Registration is generally limited and is on a
first come, first served basis, so interested CSEA members
should make immediate plans to register for that seminar.
Your appropriate supervisor must approve your registration
application.

The following seminars and workshops are being
offered through the joint State/CSEA Labor/Management
Committees;

SAFETY AND HEALTH SEMINARS, for all CSEA-
represented state employees, supervisors and members of
agency and facility labor/management safety and health
committees.

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SEMINARS, for
CSEA employees who operate and maintain the state’s
physical plants and equipment.

CAREER AND SKILLS ENHANCEMENT WORKSHOPS,
for CSEA members in the Institutional and Administrative
Services bargaining units. Designed for food service
workers, mail center staff and secretaries who have mail
operations responsibilities, and for staff with extensive
contact with the public.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SKILLED TRADES SEMINARS,
primarily for CSEA members, grades 3 through 9, in the
Operational Services Unit. The seminars are conducted
only at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx and
available only to members in CSEA Regions I, II and III.

Brief descriptions of the various continuing education
seminars and workshops available to CSEA members are
listed on these pages.

Safety and Health Seminars

STATE CAREER

negotiated by CSEA

Statewide Operations
and Maintenance
Training Seminars

Spring
1990

Operations and Maintenance Seminars

Seminars covering 10 different topics will be offered at
various state and SUNY facilities across the state during
April, May and June. REGISTRATION FORMS MUST BE
RETURNED BY MARCH 20.

For details, contact your CSEA Local president, your
agency personnel and/or training and education office or
the joint State/CSEA Labor/Management Committees.
education office or the joint State7CSEA Labor/

or the joint State/CSEA Labor/Management

Operations and Maintenance Seminars represent
continuing education opportunities for CSEA-
represented state employees who operate and maintain
the state's physical plants and equipment.

Safety and Health Seminars will be offered on four

will be conducted on “Trench Safety and Confined
Space Entry," ‘‘Universal Precautions for Non-Direct
Care Staff," ‘The Right-to-Know Law and Personal

Seminars will be held during April, May and June at
various state and SUNY facilities around the state,
REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 26.

For complete details, contact your CSEA Local
president, your agency's personnel or training and
education offices or the joint NYS/CSEA Labor-

Management Committees.

1 2 March ere en een ee eames, A

topical occupational safety and health issues, Seminars

Protective Equipment” and ‘'General Safety Practices."’
A

x

' OP

, for state employees

ORTUNITIES

Introduction to the Skilled Trades —~

Workshops providing training opportunities in the

skilled trades will offer basic theory, safety procedures,
practical applications and tangible skills in several
skilled trades areas.

The workshops are primarily open to CSEA members in
grades 3 through 9, regardless of background, to
enhance skills and broaden career opportunities.
Employees in higher grades with little practical
experience in the subject matter may also participate.

Seminars are held at SUNY Maritime College in the
Bronx and are open to CSEA members in CSEA
Regions I, Il and Il], DEADLINE FOR APPLYING IS
THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SPECIFIC SEMINAR
CHOSEN. Workshops will be held during March, April
and May.

For complete details, contact your CSEA Local
president, your agency personnel and/or training and
education office or the joint NYS/CSEA Labor-
Management Committees. y)

Brochures describing each seminar and workshop program
in detail, including times, dates, locations, and course
descriptions, are available through your CSEA Local
president or by contacting your state agency personnel
and/or training and education offices.

Information is also available by contacting: NYS/CSEA
Labor/Management Committees, 1 Commerce Plaza Suite
1930, Albany, N.Y. 12260 (518) 473-3416.

NX

SPRING

( 7990
Career & Skills Enhancement Opportunities

Four series of workshops are designed for food service
workers, mail center staff and secretaries who have ul 3
responsibilities for mail operations and staff whose jobs mistralive Mail Operations

require extensive dealings with the public.

Workshops will be conducted in the following topics:
Administrative Mail Operations; Effective Public ig 7
Contact Skills; Leadership in Food Service and Food MWe Puble Contact Skille
Preparation and Production. Workshops will be

conducted during April, May and June at various state

and SUNY facilities across the state. REGISTRATION ay x
FORMS MUST BE RETURNED BY APRIL 2. ship ie Food Service
For details, contact your CSEA Local president, your
agency personnel and/or training and education office
or the joint NYS/CSEA Labor-Management 4 Preparation and Production
Committees,
N
New York State/Civ!' Service Employees Association

LABOR-MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES

Seu Memetr, Bnc D.kon
rt oie
cen, Wi,

Enpluyeds Avs cavon ™ ol mp oyee Retauons

Bi SSD AE NEO SMR OER ST RT Ae Nie comer 5, 1990 1 3

CSEA member wins award for
Helping
children
in need

By Ron Wofford
CSEA Communications Associate

SALAMANCA — Peggy Bartoszek, a
Cattaraugus County Social Services Unit
Supervisor, has received a social worker
award from the New York State Foster
and Adoptive Parent Association.

“Yes, I was surprised, even
flabbergasted,'’ said Bartoszek, a 13-year
county employee and supervisor of the
Child Welfare Unit since 1985.
Bartoszek is a member of Cattaraugus
County CSEA Local 805.

The award, presented at the Foster
Parent Association's annual training
conference, cited Bartoszek’s caring
attitude and long-time proven ability to
work with the children and families
involved in foster care arrangements.

“T've always been interested in
children,"’ said Bartoszek, ‘‘and your
heart goes out to them in foster care

assignments because in most cases
they're being separated from their

families through no fault of their own.”

Children are referred for foster care
by the courts or the County Child
Protective Unit, Bartoszek explained,
and placement of children in foster
homes is governed by state law and
strict guidelines.

Foster families receive certified
training before they can accept foster
children and receive a varying stipend
for assistance based on the age of the
child and the county making the
placement.

Bartoszek agrees with regional and
national news reports that the need for
foster care is growing rapidly, but feels
the reasons for the increase in
Cattaraugus County differ from the

Children in foster care
are separated from their
families through no

fault of their own

average cause in larger, urban counties.

“While drugs seem to be the cause of
family breakdowns and the need for
foster care in the larger urban
counties,'’ said Bartoszek, ‘‘I think
alcohol abuse, poverty and crime are
the main causes in most of the cases we
see here in Cattaraugus County.”

Bartoszek supervises four caseworkers
who each have a caseload of about 30
children already in foster care or
awaiting placement.

A recent national survey said the
number of kids in foster care was at
330,000 in June 1989, up almost 18
percent from 280,000 in June 1987. The
survey estimated a rise to 360,000 in
1990.

For families interested in helping care
for foster children, Bartoszek suggested
calling the local county Social Services
Department and applying for training.

“Of course children will be healthier
mentally and emotionally if they are in
a healthy home situation,'’ said
Bartoszek, ‘‘but that’s not always
possible. So we hope those who can will
reach out and help someone,"’ :

CONGRATULATIONS — Cattaraugus
County Local 805 members congratulate
Peggy Bartoszek (seated center) on her
social worker award. From left, Thad
‘Leaskey, Judy Pauley, Eunice Linsler, |

Donna Knight and Barbara Corey.

s | 4 March 5, 7 ARTI SS iT ERO A a ie og ae aE *

Commendable work

TOWN OF NEWBURGH — A police
dispatcher and CSEA member in the
Town of Newburgh has won a
commendation for her work during the
tragic tornado that killed nine children
in the Valley Central School District last
fall.

While Deborah Fendt said she was just
one of hundreds of workers who played
a part in the tragedy at Coldenham
Elementary School, the town's Police
Benevolent Association thought she
deserved special recognition.

The commendation they gave Fendt
says that her role and quick thinking
during the crisis were ‘‘critical to the
rescue of the children."

The storm

Fendt said she will never forget that
November afternoon.

“Tt started getting very dark out and it
was very windy," she recalled. ‘‘We had
received a few high wind warnings over
the teletype.”

At 12:47 p.m., the fire radio suddenly
came alive with a broadcast from the
Coldenham Fire Department asking for
an immediate response to a wall collapse
at the Coldenham Elementary School.

Fendt, a member of Orange County
CSEA Local 836, and a co-worker began
dispatching police and ambulances to
the scene, but suddenly the electricity
went out. Fendt could not transmit from
the station.

Her quick thinking pays off

“T immediately ran for one of the
portable radios we have, but they
wouldn't work. A tree had fallen on the
transmitter line,"’ she said.

Fendt then grabbed a handful of patrol
cor keys and dashed out to the parking
ot.

“T ran outside — it was pouring — and
I got into one of the police cars and
started the engine,” she said. ‘I resumed
my communications on the car radio,
dispatching other local police
departments, more ambulances and the
State Police to the school.”

Vital service

Fendt's presence on the police radio
was important.

“The police had to be in touch with
me to tell me if they needed more help
or equipment,'’ she explained.

Eventually, power was restored to the
police station and Fendt was able to go
back to her desk,

Although Fendt was due to go off duty
at 3 p.m., she stayed until 7 p.m.

“They needed me,"' she said. ‘We
were getting calls from news services all
over the world and from relatives asking
what happened."

Fendt and her co-workers as well as
numerous rescue workers have since
attended de-briefing sessions in which
they discussed the stress they
experienced and learned ways to cope
with it.

“It started
getting very
dark and it was
very windy.”

— Dispatcher
Deborah Fendt

Police, ambulance and rescue workers,
as well as the staff of the school and
parents of pupils in the school are still
coping with the tragedies caused by the
storm.

“Tt was a trying experience,’ Fendt
said. ‘But I'm glad I was working that
day. I was one of the people behind the
scenes."

Fendt has worked for the county for
two and a half years. Police work seems
to run in her family: Her husband is a
State Trooper and her brother is a town
police officer.

She enjoys her job and its challenges.

“There's a lot of responsibility,"’ Fendt
said. ‘I have the lives of the police
officers as well as the caller in my
hands."

““We were
getting calls
from news
services all
over the world
and from
relatives
wanting to
know what
happened."

A COMMENDATION — Town of Newburgh Police Dispatcher Deborah
Fendt receives a commendation from Police Benevolent Association
President Conrad Hansen, left, as Vice President Scott Manley looks on.

March 5, 1990 1 5

Gambling: The invisible disease

Help available for people |
hooked on “‘action’’ _.-

By Lilly Gioia
CSEA Communications Associate

When the San Fransisco 49ers
trounced the Denver Broncos in the
Super Bowl the action wasn't
only on the field.

Millions of dollars changed hands
through legal and illegal betting.

But for thousands of people who
wagered on that game and others who
regularly visit casinos, racetracks and
even play the lottery, gambling is an
addiction, It can bring financial ruin and
destroy lives.

Calling compulsive gambling the
“invisible disease," Arnold Wexler,
executive director of the Council on
Compulsive Gambling recently told New
York State Employee Assistance
Program coordinators that addicted
gamblers are not as easy to spot as
employees with alcohol and drug
problems,

Americans lost $18.5 billion on
lotteries last year.

Wexler believes many workers are
betting over their heads and that 12
million people are in the grips of
gambling addiction today.

Addicted gamblers spend inordinate
time thinking about how, when and
what they are betting. Possessed by a
pathological optimism, they continue to
think ‘‘maybe this one more time and I'll
make by big killing.'’ These individuals
are addicted to “‘action'’ and never
believe they will lose.

“No one knows the social cost of
gambling,’’ Wexler said.

He related horror stories of desperate
gamblers like one who sold his kidney
to raise $25,000 for gambling debts.
Gambling has also been the cause of
many suicides and attempted suicides.

Compulsive gamblers are hooked on
immediate gratification and are always

a

seeking recognition. Their highly
competitive personalities usually assure
they do well at their jobs, but they are
driven, intense people who are masking
fears.

Most co-workers see the compulsive
gambler as energetic and likable.

But family members, concerned about
debts, see the gambler's dark side, While
bill collectors and creditors may hound
the gambler and his or her family, the
gambler may continue to deny the
problem, Family members often become
depressed and even feel compelled to lie
to cover up the gambler's problem,

Spouses and children of compulsive
gamblers need emotional support and
counseling just as much as the gambler
and should seek it as soon as possible.

Through Gamblers Anonymous family
support groups and new groups for adult
children of compulsive gamblers, help is
available.

If you think you have a gambling
problem or know someone who has one,
there is help and hope. For more
information, contact your EAP
coordinator.

ve

Ga\ea
coer

One compulsive
gambler sold
his kidney to
raise $25,000
to pay debts

j
]

}

)
|

Federal tax credit
for low-income families

If you are a working parent with
children living at home, you may be
eligible for a tax credit from the federal
government, even if you don't owe
income taxes. But to get that tax credit,
you have to file a federal income tax
form.

Millions of low-income working
parents are eligible for up to $910
through the federal government's
Earned Income Credit (EIC) program.

In order to receive the money, eligible
parents must apply by filing a federal
income tax form, either a 1040 ora
1040-A form.

The EIC is a tax credit for low-income
families with at least one wage earner
and one child living at home. Since it is
a refundable tax credit, families can
benefit from it even if they owe no
federal income taxes. They receive a

check from the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS), rather than a reduction in
federal income taxes,

You may be eligible for the EIC, even
if you don't owe income taxes. But you
can't receive the EIC unless you file a
federal income tax form,

Most working families earning
between $6,000 and $11,000 in 1989
qualify for a credit of at least $800.
Families that work and have children
living with them may be eligible for the
EIC if their income last year was less
than $19,340,

If you think you may be eligible, file a
federal income tax form even if you
don't owe any federal income taxes. The
IRS will figure out the credit and send
you a check. You can claim back credit
for up to three years if you were eligible
and haven't claimed it already.

Petitions
available for
region elections

ALBANY — Petitions are now
available for members interested in
becoming candidates for regional office.

Under the union's open election
procedure, a candidate shall be required
to obtain the signatures of 500 members
who were current in their dues at the
time the nominating petition was
submitted to the statewide Election
Commitee for examination or by
members who were in good standing as
of April 1, 1990.

All signatures must be from the region

where the person is seeking office.

Nominating petitions are available
from regional offices and CSEA
headquarters.

In order to be eligible to seek office, a
candidate must be at least 18 years of
age, a member in good standing of the
region since June 1989, and shall not
currently be serving a disciplinary
penalty imposed by the Judicial Board of
CSEA. To be eligible to vote in the
election a member must have been in
good standing as of April 1, 1990.

The Northeast Summer Institute
for Union Women will take place
from July 22 to July 27.

The institute is sponsored by
the University and College Labor
Education Association (UCLEA) in
cooperation with the AFL-CIO
Education Department and the
Coalition of Labor Union Women,

The non-profit institute is open
to all union women, rank-and-file
members, staff and officers.

This year the Institute will be
held at the School of Continuing

ie 06 1990

Summer institute
serves union women

Education at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pa.
Scholarships and child care are
available.
For more information on the
institute and its costs, contact:
Donna Griffith
director of conferences
School of Continuing Education
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Whitmyre Hall
Indiana, PA 15705-1092
phone: (412) 357-2227

o

a March 5, a’ 7

UNITED BUYING
_SERVICE INIL.

The following money-saving consumer tips are from United
Buying Service (UBS) International, CSEA's official
discount shopping service. Approximately every other
month, UBS will provide, in The Public Sector, tips on how

to shop for various categories of products and services.
Whenever possible, a list of “best buys’ in that category

toll-free!

This month UBS features

a

“Smart shopper
consumer tips
from UBS’’

will also be published.

Remember — UBS offers the best prices on a wide variety
of consumer items. As a CSEA member you can use UBS to
do your shopping and buying right over the phone:

COMPACT DISCS & COMPACT DISC PLAYERS

Home sound reproduction has been
revolutionized by the development of
the Compact Disc and Compact Disc
Player.

How do they work?

Compact discs store sound as a
string of numbers in a continuous
special pattern below their clear
plastic surface. The compact disc
player, utilizing the reflection of a
beam of light (laser beam), reads and
converts this digital information into
sound,

ADVANTAGES OF THE
CD/CD PLAYER
COMPACT DISCS:
* offer superior sound quality
* have virtually no distortion
* do not reproduce the noise and
hiss of analog recordings
* do not add speed variations that
cause wavering pitch
* have no grooves to be worn away
so they can last indefinitely
without any loss of sound
reproduction quality

COMPACT DISC PLAYERS:

* ignore small scratches and dust on
the disc
enable you to locate specific parts
in the music in just a few seconds
search forward or backward at
high speed
skip track by track
many players allow you to directly
select any given tracks by just
punching the number
many players also enable you to
select a number of tracks for
playback in any order you choose
some multi-disc CD changers are
able to store programming
commands in a permanent
memory

*

*

*

*

*

*

SHOPPING TIPS

1, You can test a CD player's
tracking stability and resistance to
external vibrations by tapping lightly
on the top and sides of the cabinet
with your fingers. Inferior machines
may mis-track when tapped.

2. A CD player must be connected
to a receiver's high-level inputs (which
are labeled ‘‘aux” or ‘‘tuner’’), If these
inputs are not available, ‘‘tape’’ or
“tape play’' may be suitable. Before
selecting your CD player, check the
maximum input level permitted at
the input jacks. If the rating is less
than two volts, choose a CD player
that has an ‘‘output level control.”

3. Three-beam laser tracing versus
one beam system: both systems use
only one laser, which is either split
with lenses and prisms into three
beams, or used as a single beam.
Either system is satisfactory and
differences in tracking accuracy and
stability are NOT due to how many
beams are used.

TIPS ON CD CARE

1, With proper care, CDs can last
indefinitely. Always store your discs
in a cool place in their plastic boxes.

2. Avoid leaving CDs exposed to
direct sunlight or heat, as they can
warp.

3. The label side of a CD is more
fragile than the silver data side. Do
not write on the label side; this may
damage the aluminum.

MAKE UP YOUR MIND, CALL UBS

Once you have a definite CD player
make and model in mind, call UBS,
CSEA's official discount shopping

service. And also call UBS to get the
best prices on major appliances,
consumer electronics, automobiles,
luggage, china, crystal, flatware,
carpeting, furniture, jewelry and
more!

While inventory lasts,
THIS MONTH’S
“BEST BUYS” FROM
UBS ARE:

TECHNICS CD PLAYER with remote,
single laser beam. CSEA MEMBER
PRICE — $159.00 plus shipping.

PANASONIC BEEPERLESS REMOTE
ANSWERING MACHINE with dual
cassette. CSEA MEMBER PRICE —
$69.00 plus shipping.

13” COLOR TV/VCR COMBO with
remote. CSEA MEMBER PRICE —
$449.00 plus shipping.

UNITED BUYING
_ SERVICE INTL.

CALL 1-800-336-4UBS

VISA and MasterCard accepted

2

Me
1 8 March 5, i ci a,

AT YOUR SERVICE

CSEA Toll-Free

The union's toll-free telephone number —
1-800-342-4146 — is your direct link to CSEA
Headquarters.

When you call the toll-free number, a
recorded message describes the choices to put
Eo eet to the right place for the help you
need.

You need a touch-tone telephone to complete
your call without operator assistance. If you
aren't calling from a touch-tone telephone, an
operator will pick up and complete your call at
the end of the message.

If you know the extension number of the
individual that you're trying to reach, you can
press “QO” plus the extension number on your
touch-tone telephone at any point during the
recorded message and be connected.

If you don’t know the extension, the message
will give you the following choices:

* For Field Operations or the Empire
Bengali Benefits Committee, press number

* For disciplinaries, grievances and other
legal matters, press number 2.

* For Communications, the Executive Offices
or Political Action, press number 3.

* If you have a question concerning dues,
membership or agency shop, CSEA group
insurance other than health or need to talk to
the Finance Department, press number 4.

Employee Benefit Fund

The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund is a CSEA-
administered trust fund which provides certain
supplemental negotiated benefits for state
employees and participating local government
employees. It currently administers Dental Care,
Vision Care, Prescription Drug, and Package 7
Benefits Plans.

For questions regarding any of the benefits or
for assistance with negotiating any plan(s), call:
1-800-342-4274 or (518) 463-4555 or write:

CSEA Employee Benefit Fund
14 Corporate Woods Boulevard
Albany, NY 12211

Education and Training

CSEA can help you prepare for civil service
exams with low-cost study booklets and free-to-
borrow video tapes. A small selection of audio
tapes are available to the visually impaired.

CSEA also provides educational workshops
for union activists eager to learn more about
their union responsibilities.

To request booklet order forms or to obtain
information on union workshops, call CSEA
headquarters at 1-800-342-4146. For information
on videotapes, contact your CSEA regional
office.

Grievances, Disciplinaries

If you believe you have a grievance,
immediately contact your Local grievance
representative or shop steward. If they are
unavailable, contact your CSEA Unit or Local
President, or your CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist at the appropriate regional office (see
adjacent map). Do not delay if you believe you
have a problem; grievances must be filed on a
timely basis.

|

AFSCME Advantage Credit Card

The AFSCME MasterCard has one of the
lowest interest rates around — 5 percent above
the prime lending rate. There is no annual fee.

To obtain an application form, call your CSEA
regional office (see adjacent map).

The card is issued by the Bank of New York.
If you apply for a card and there is no response
within four weeks, call the bank toll-free at
1-800-942-1977.

Insurance

CSEA offers several insurance programs at
low group rates and provides the convenience
of automatic payroll deduction.

These voluntary group plans include: Basic
Group Life, Supplemental Life, Income
Protection Program, Hospital Indemnity Plan,
Family Protection Plan, Auto Insurance and
Homeowners Insurance. For more details, call
1-800-366-5273 or (518) 381-1600.

AFSCME Advantage Legal Services
Program

The AFSCME Advantage Union Privilege Legal
Services Program makes it possible for you to
easily obtain high quality, affordable legal
services for many personal legal matters. For
more details and a list of the participating
lawyers in your area, call the CSEA office in
your region.

Health Insurance
For health insurance questions concerning
Empire Plan coverage, call the appropriate
following telephone number:
EMPIRE PLAN

Blue Cross Claims 1-800-342-9815

or (518) 465-0171
Metropolitan Claims 1-800-942-4640
Participating Providers 1-800-537-0010
Health Care Help Line 1-800-336-3696

Retirement

If you are retiring soon, it's important that you
select the proper option from the Employees’
Retirement system.

By using the services of a CSEA-provided
retirement counselor, you'll be able to plan for a
lifestyle in your retirement years that takes into
account your anticipated expenses.

For more information, call 1-800-366-5273.

General retirement information is available by
contacting CSEA’s Retirement Department,
CSEA Headquarters, 143 Washington Avenue,
Albany, N.Y. 12210. (518) 434-0191 or
1-800-342-4146.

United Buying Service

Get big savings on consumer products
through the union's official discount buying
service. UBS combines the power of millions of
members to negotiate discounts on a whole
range of major name discount products.
Everything from automobiles to major
appliances, video to home furnishings and
more. The program is free to CSEA members
and carries no service charges. To place an
order or for pricing information, call
1-800-336-4UBS or 1-800-877-4UBS. UBS has
also set up a hotline for information on limited
special monthly offers available only to CSEA
members. For a listing of specials, call the
hotline at 1-203-967-2980. :

rene

R=

€
CSEA REGIONAL OFFICES om Do
LONG ISLAND 7 Wrong Be o
REGION CEng) REGION OFFICE (4) = ‘Toe muve too
Hauppauge Atrium Building Suite 402
300 Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy. 4915 Western Avenue eel
“

Hauppauge, N.Y. 11788 Albany, NY. 12203

(516) 273-2280 i
(816) 435-0962 (518) 489-5424
METROPOLITAN CENTRAL.

REGION OFFICE (2) REGION OFFICE (5)
Suite 1500 Suite 308

290 Elwood Davis Road

11 Broadway
f Liverpool, N.Y. 13088

New York, N.Y. 10004

(212) 514-9200 (315) 451-6330
SOUTHERN WESTERN

REGION OFFICE (3) REGION OFFICE (6)
Rural Route 1 482 Delaware Avenue

Box 34, Old Route 9

Buffalo, N.Y. 14202
Fishkill, N.Y. 12524

(716) 886-0391

(914) 896-8180

re Anges oan

Safety

To report unsafe or unhealthy working
conditions or serious accidents, call your CSEA
labor relations specialist. For occupational
safety and health information, call CSEA
headquarters at 1-800-342-4146.

een March 5, 1990 1 9

°

CSEA/AFSCME pressure gains restoration
of sea <i jobs in Westchester County

/ATSCME members were
only for their jobs, but
Cullacks in services that would

SCME activists lobbied
f tor restoration’ of the proposed
jobs cus, while CSEA ME
niembers picket
demanding the

rescinded.

and Dr. Podolak, a public neti 3
dentist with the Westchester County
He aaa of Health, will keep her
job, :
Under intense pressure from

lawmakers recently passed a bu
amendment that restored

services and jobs threatened with __
elimination in the originally proposed
county budget. _

Podolak's job is one of 500 county
jobs saved by the actions of
CSEA/AFSCME, and dental clinics are
one of the services saved as well.

“There are a lot of children who
would have had to do without dental
care,’’ Podolak said. ‘‘For most
families, it's a choice between putting
food on the table or paying a dentist.
The food has to come first."’

Some state lawmakers who represent
residents of Westchester County also
became involved, Sen. Nicholas Spano is
credited with lobbying on behalf of
county workers after he was contacted
by Region Ill President Pat Mascioli

CSEA/AFSCME, Westchester County

clighted that the leq
pers of the budget «

ices here in
County,” said Mascioli
“CSEA/AFSCME is fortunaie to have
i

slructure here in Westcheste- thal we
have. They listened to us ane they took
the appropriate action.”

[ew 8

- convincing « Cony legislators
restore funding in

member of Eas

pati
working poor,

_ explained, “Without these clinics, —

these people | ‘ould have few —
alternatives."

Most of Dr. Podolak’s patients are
children ages 3 to 15, Families pay on a
sliding fee basis. A family of four with
an income of about $16,000 per year,
pays $7 per visit. Many ‘of the
children are referred by local public
schools.

“It's a good opportunity to get good
dental care,"’ said Podolak. ‘That’ 's SO
important to overall health.”

“We have the technology to

\

CAVITY FIGHTERS — Dr. Patricia Podolak, left, and her assistant, Sandra
ov iaese have worked together for three years.

Pp l
ups and routine. :

“Our goal is to pr ent pain, —
suffering and remature tooth loss,’
she said. ‘Without dental care, some
of these kids Wont be wearing
dentures by the time they are 25 —
years old. Preventative care prevents
complications and expensive care
down the road.”

The patient load at the clinic has
grown considerably since Podolak
came to work there three years ago.

“When I first came, we were booked
two to three weeks ahead,’ she said,

“Now, we're booked two to three
months ahead!

: emote x (

The clinic tee existed oO ehont at
years.

“Without dental care, os

20 March 5, ope ce ee